Golf ball marking device



Feb. 6, 1962 H. w. HAUTZ 3,019,762

GOLF BALL MARKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 1, 1958 INVENTOR. f 7

United States Patent Office 3,919,762 Patented Feb. 6, 1962 3,019,762GOLF BALL MARKING DEVICE Harry W. Hautz, 6110 Gladys Ave., Cincinnati,Ohio Fiied Oct. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 764,687 4 Claims. (Cl. 118- 76) Thisinvention relates to marking devices, and it is directed in particularto a device for placing a small spot of marking substance upon a golfball so that when the ball is struck upon the spot by a golf club themarking substance transfers from the ball onto the face of the club andthereby indicates to the golfer the exact area of the club head whichmade contact with the ball during the stroke.

Of course, anyone who plays the game seriously strives constantly toimprove his score. Designers of golf equipment are constantly strivingto provide the best possible clubs, balls and other equipment for thegolfer to assist him in improving his score. Every year new clubs appearupon the market. Materials are changed, weights are changed or shifted,new and different grips, heads and shafts are tried, and new claims forgreater distances and truer flights are made. Theories to improve thegame are legend. Quite obviously, however, the flight of a golf ball isdependent solely upon its being hit squarely and with the center of theface of the club. Hours of practice, expensive equipment and instructionetc. are all directed toward this end.

The primary objective of this invention has been to provide a simple,inexpensive expedient for the golfer to enable him to determine forhimself the exact spot on the face of his club that makes contact withthe ball. Otherwise expressed, this invention provides a solution to thefundamental problem of indicating to the golfer just exactly what takesplace in the critical relationship of club to head at the instant theclub meets the ball. Direction, distance, hooking and slicing are alldirectly influenced by whether or not the ball is struck with the centerof the club face. Thus, by reading the spot on the club head the golferwill know whether or not he is hitting the ball correctly, if not hewill see the reason for his errors on the club face at the times theyare made and can make his own corrections in his swing in order toimprove his game.

The small spot which is placed upon the ball by the device of thisinvention interferes in no way with the flight of the ball, and thus itcan be used at any time during actual play upon a golf course on adriving range or on a practice fairway.

Other objectives and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a golf ball marking deviceincorporating the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line 3--3 ofFIGURE 1.

The marking device of this invention comprises only two elements. One isa golf ball receiving and positioning cup having a hollow sleeve or tube11 formed as an integral part of it, and the other is a marking stickdesignated generally by the numeral 12. It is preferred that the cup andtube be made of a semi-resilient plastic, such as polyethylene, which ismolded into the configuration shown. The cup terminates in a circularrim 13 which is of a size to fit a golf ball to be marked. The bottomcenter of the cup has a central rim or boss 14 formed as an integralpart of it, this rim or boss surrounding a circular opening 15 in thebottom of the cup which is in communication with the hollow interior ofthe tube 11. The bore at the inside of the tube is designated generallyby the numeral 16 and it may be seen that it is slightly oversized withrespect to circular opening 15 to provide an internal shoulder 17 wherethe tube meets the cup. To facilitate the removal of the device from amold, it is preferred that the tube taper outwardly away from the cup asshown in FIGURE 3.

The marking stick may be a conventional lipstick holder. In this casethe outside diameter of the lipstick case, which normally receives thelipstick cover, receives the tube 11, and the case is inserted into thetube until its upper rim makes contact with shoulder 17. In thepreferred embodiment, the semi-resilient material of which the tube ismade securely grips the casing. Otherwise expressed, the fit between thetube and the casing is a v forced fit.

The marking stick shown is tubular and following conventional practiceincludes a casing 18, the outer rim of which is turned over as shown at19, it being this rim that makes contact with shoulder 17. Twosleevesare mounted inside of the casing. One of these, designated 20, isfixed with respect to the casing 18 and it has a spiral shaped slot 21formed in it. The other sleeve which is designated 22 resides inside ofsleeve 20. The latter sleeve has a longitudinal slot 23 in its sidewall. The marking stick itself is mounted in a cup-shaped carrier 24 andthis carrier has a pin 25 on it which projects through the straight slot23 in sleeve 22 and into the spiral slot 21 in sleeve 20. Sleeve 22 isfixed to an operator knob 826 and as knob 26 is rotated, the cupehapedcarrier 24 is moved to the left or right as viewed in FIGURE 3 whicheither feeds a stick 27 of marking substance in and out of inner sleeve22.

A golf ball to be marked is seated within the cup portion of the deviceand this portion is configurated as shown in FIGURE 3 so that the golfball rests upon boss 14 while at the same time it makes contact with therim 13. With the ball seated in this fashion, the knob 26 is rotated toforce the stick of marking substance out through the circular opening 15and into contact with the ball as illustrated.

The marking stick in the preferred embodiment is cast in the same wayordinary lipsticks are cast of a semigreasy substance carrying vividcoloring such as a chrome-green. It has been found that a chalk-likematerial may also be utilized for the marking stick. Wheth er thematerial be soft, as in the case of a semi-greasy type material, orbrittle, as in the case of a chalk-like material, the holder protects itfrom being broken.

In use, the golfer merely inserts the ballin the cup and turns the knobto place the mark upon the ball. The ball then may be teed up with thespot at the side thereof which is to be hit. The contact between theface of the club and the ball transfers some of the marking substancefrom the ball onto the club head. The location of the spot on the clubhead is a direct indication to the golfer whether or not his swing isgrooved. An important feature of the present invention is that in actualuse it permits a golfer to analyze his mistakes as they are made so thathe can correct his stance or swing from stroke to stroke.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A device to place a spot of marking substance upon a golf ballcomprising a cup dimensioned to removably receive a golf ball, a hollowtube formed as an integral part of said cup and extending from thebottom thereof, means defining a circular opening in the bottom of saidcup which opens into said tube, a circular boss in the bottom of saidcup surrounding said opening, a stick of marking substance, a carrierfor said stick which is configurated to fit snugly in said tube, andsaid carrier in= eluding means responsive to rotational movement of saidcarrier to advance and withdraw said stick through said opening and intocontact with a golf ball disposed in said cup to deposit a spot ofmarking substance thereon.

2. A device to place a spot of marking substance upon a golf ballcomprising a semi-circular cup dimensioned to snugly removably receive agolf ball, a hollow tube formed as an integral part of said cup andextending axially from the bottom thereof, means defining a circularopening in the bottom of said cup which opens into said tube, a stick ofmarking substance characterized by its ability to be transferred from agolf ball against which it is pressed onto a golf club head coming incontact with said substance, a carrier for said stick which isconflgurated to fit snugly into said tube, and said carrier includingmeans to advance and withdraw said stick through said opening and intocontact with a golf ball disposed in said cup.

3. A device to place a spot of marking substance upon a golf ballcomprising a cup dimensioned to removably receive a golf ball, meansdefining a circular opening in the bottom of said cup, a stick ofmarking substance, a carrier for said stick, and means to hold saidstick in alignment with said opening including means to bring said stickinto contact with a golf ball disposed in said cup.

4. A device to place a spot of marking substance upon a golf ballcomprising a receiver for removably holding a golf ball, a hollow tubeformed as an integral part of said receiver, means defining a circularopening in the receiver which opens into the interior of said tube, astick of marking substance, 2. carrier for said stick dis posed in saidtube, and said carrier including means to advance and withdraw saidstick through said opening and into contact with a golf ball disposed insaid receiver.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,412Deluce Feb. 18, 1862 464,619 Wyatt Dec. 8, 1891 726,086 McAlpine Apr.21, 1903 1,596,919 Burgoyne et a1 Aug. 24, 1926 2,344,883 Kairalla Mar.21, 1944 2,495,679 Abrecht et al I an. 31, 1950 2,500,386 Segal Mar. 14,1950 2,569,349 Smith Sept. 25, 1951 2,770,213 Rekettye Nov. 13, 19562,792,631 Nock May 21, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 424,947 Great Britain Mar.4, 1935

